TEXploration Uno.

We are heading out for a little TEXploration today! We loaded up the camper for a few days in the hill country. You may recall the Great New Braunfels Disaster of 2013. Well, that was in June and we haven't had the camper out since. 

Well, it's a new season, a new day!

We loaded up with supplies, food, and some school work. Can you virtually experience the Sisters' joy with me? I can never understand their grumbling about cracking a book while we are on our way to someplace awesome. What a dream for most of their friends!

Plus, we loaded up the bikes, so shut your yapper.

Are we little adventurers or what? So cool, right?

Before you think I am an arrogant cuss, read on to see how cool we really are.

We made it approximately 1.3 miles down the road before Spouse saw flashing blue lights and one of Houston's Finest. This was exceptionally wonderful because I wasn't driving. Turns out that our uniformed friend wanted to alert us impending trouble:

See that bumper? Notice how the bike looks as if it is sitting on the road while still on the bike rack? Yah. Not supposed to do that.

So, in true Spouse fashion, this man rigged two bikes on top of the car & two tied up on the bike rack. 

We are so grateful that the Lord orchestrated the events when He did. We drove the 1.3 miles back to the house ever so gingerly. We gladly unloaded the bikes back in the garage, ready to sacrifice them now rather than on 290 somewhere between Houston and Austin. Pretty sure we wouldn't love that.

And...we're off! Again! I'll keep ya posted.

We love this junk.

The Heat Is On.

This one time, we drove three and a half hours to the Texas Hill Country for the weekend.

Arent' we so cute and excited?!

We had reservations for 2 nights at this family campground with a pool and a bunch of activities for the kids. We were so excited! We'd heard about the water slides at the campground and we wanted to go "float the river". (That's "go tubing" for the non-Texans.)

Reading material: check.

Brit Nicole Pandora station: check.

The best 3 lbs I carry: check.

We set up the pop-up camper in 102º (feels like 104º) of pure Central Texas heat. My Spouse, like a solid Dad, did most of the work and drank the least amount of water. Dude got so ill from heat exhaustion.

No trees, Kids. No shade.

No joke. Actual heat exhaustion: extreme thirst, fatigue, confusion, nausea, headache, rapid heartbeat...the whole thing. The puppers, too! After he rested a while and drank a little water, the girls and I went to get him some Gatorade. He was so loopy he didn't even know where we were. Blessed assurance.
In case you missed it: I'm the good Spouse who leaves my husband passed out in a hot camper to go ride in the cool car.

We got a treat, too. :) Yah, Dad! We are on our way! Hurrying to save you!

 We got back to learn that the dog was feeling the ill effects of the heat, too. About the time that Spouse woke up, the pup threw up on him. Awesome. He drank the Gatorade and got to feeling a little better. We were all getting excited to float the river, but the AC was not cooling the camper very well. It was blowing cool and all, but this...

We cackled at the ridiculousness of the situation. There were spots in the camper that, if you sat real still, you could feel the cool air blowing. It was hilarious.

Before you ask, "Why didn't you go get in the pool or go to the river, Dummies?" A couple of reasons: the pool was about a third of the size it should have been for the number of sites at this campground. Packed full of people. Packed. Eww. The river, too. My pictures weren't good enough to post, but the river was so full of tubes and people, they were not even moving! I'm not kidding. It was a human dam. In addition, parts of the Guadalupe River do not allow cans on the river, but the section where we were allowed cans. Our drive-bys did not reveal a very family-friendly situation. Then, there was the puppers. It was not cool enough to leave him in the camper.

There was this one time, we drove three and a half hours to the hill country for the weekend. We stayed  5 whole hours and then loaded every.thing.back.up. and went home.

Cause here's why: If you can't take the heat, get out of Central Texas in a pop-up camper with an AC that can not compete with a country state that has its own sun.

How's your weekend?

Weekend "Camping" & Marriage Test.

We called ourselves camping this weekend. I use this term very loosely. 

Judge all you want: the weather in Houston was heavenly. It was fun and relaxing and no one had to sleep on the ground. Win.

Bought this after we went camping at the beach. Very used, very old, very adequate.
The other side has a push out for the dining table, too.
Look how perfectly that sucker is backed on to that slab. *See below*

There was corn hole.

There were hot dogs. Bun length. All beef. This is important in our house.

There were chips and selfies.

It was rough around breakfast.

There was snuggling with the new "M",  Maverick. 

There were microwave smores.

We Bananagrammed.

We UNO'd.

It was too lovely not to be outside and these girls are adorbies.

Ridiculous. This is first thing in the morning.

Then, in true Spouse fashion, he decided to put down new flooring in the camper. It looks magnificent!

Workin' man.

Oh, my goodness. So much improvement.

It has been a truly wonderful weekend for The Spouses and The Sisters. I hope yours has, too!
_____________________________________________________________
On Friday afternoon, I posted on Twitter & Facebook:

A true test of a marriage is the ability to back a camper/RV 

into its lot and still be on speaking terms when finished.

Is this not so true?!

<<Note: This was not AT ALL about Spouse and me. Honestly. I didn't even help him back it in. Big Sister did. I wasn't even there yet. By the time Little Sister and I got there, it was nearly done. Also, he's very patient about this sort of thing.>> 

Have you ever listened to a couple do this? Or a couple at the boat ramp? It can be funny or not at all.
My friend, Matt, commented on Twitter that he thinks premarital counseling should involve a canoe trip. Bah! Yes!! So true.

Spouse and I paddled the paddle boards from Fort DeSoto to Egmont Key once. Once. It wasn't pretty. The channel was not easy paddling and it took a long time. There was boat traffic, wind, and hunger. Maybe hunger. Maybe hanger. I can't be sure, I think I blacked it out. Except for the part about Spouse should have gone to marital counseling while I got something to eat. I remember that well.

What about you? Any home improvement projects put you over the edge? Night time feedings?

What are some of your "tests" in marriage?